OCR
William Fraser, Sheriff, was authorized by the Sessions to remove the prisoners from the gaol at Johnstown, to the new Court House at Brockville, on the roth or 11th of September, 1810. Mr. James Powell, of Brockville, informs us that a strong party in the eastern part of the District was opposed to the removal, and laboring under the impression that no legally constituted Court could be held without the Court of Arms, determined to resist its removal by force. By some stratagem, the coveted ensignia was secured by the Brockville representatives, but it was discovered by their opponents. The result was a hand to hand struggle for possession, which terminated in a victory for the party representing the new Court House. During the me/ee, the Court of Arms was torn in the corner, but afterwards repaired, The same painting yet graces the wall above the Judge’s seat in the present Court House. The first Quarter Sessions held at Brockville assembled at the Court House, on Tuesday, Nov. És 481 An examination of the records fully accounts for the peculiar name by which Brockville was originally known, viz.: “Snarlingtown.” A great number of prominent citizens were engaged in personal altercations, which genearlly terminated in a law suit before the Quarter Sessions. In 1817. the Justices of the Session first drew pay for their attendance, and it is a significant fact, that, during the same session, the Treasurer was authorized to borrow £500. Since that date, the representatives of the Counties have not only advanced the daily remuneration from four shillings to three dollars, but have succeeded in augmenting the debt in like proportion. At an early period, the Collectors were authorized to collect the taxes from a valuation of the personal property, the land being specially designated as exempt. Such a course was pursued in reference to the Townships of Drummond, Bathurst, and Burgess. By an Act passed in the Second Session of the Provincial Parliament (1793), it was provided that any two Justices of the Peace could issue their warrants, giving eight days" notice to the constable of the parish, township, or reputed township, authorizing the constable to assemble the inhabitant householders, paying, or those liable to pay, any public assessment, at some convenient place within the parish or township, for the purpose of choosing or nominating the parish or township officers. After the year 1793, the meeting was to be called on the first Monday in March. The officers to be elected were a Town Clerk, two Assessors, a Collector, not Highways, one or more Pound-keepers ; and also to choose two discreet persons to serve the office of Town Wardens, but it was provided, when a church was built for Divine service (Church of England) with a parson or minister appointed thereto, then the inhabitants were to choose one Warden, and the parson or minister to nominate the other. The constable who was authorized to preside at the meeting, furnished the Justices with a list of the officers chosen, and they were duly installed by taking the oaths of office prescribed. No provision was made as to the manner of deciding between the claims of rival candidates, hence, we are led to infer, that a show of hands decided the matter, thus, in the wilds of Canada, repeating the system adopted in the halcyon days of the Grecian Republics. Some confusion grew out of different Justices appointing different places for holding the town meeting, and, to prevent confusion. the Justices, in Sessions assembled, passed a resolution, making the first call valid. When disputes arose, they were settled by the Sessions. The first Coroner mentioned in the minutes is Oliver Evertts, of Augusta. In 1819, the following scale of prices, for the ferries at Brockville and Prescott, was adopted :— BROCKVILLE. Each person: One shilling and sixpence. Horse or Ox: Three shillings and sixpence. Carriage : One shilling and threepence. PRESCOTT, Each person: One shilling. Horse or Ox: Two shillings and sixpence. Carriage: One shilling. Such prices, in 1878, would soon make our ferrymen millionaries. In 1820, a difficulty arose in reference to the town officers of Elizabethtown, when the following were appointed by the Sessions : Jonathan Fulford, Clerk and Assessor. Samuel Raymond, Assessor and Collector. For North and South Crosby, the following appointments were also made: Chapman Pennock, Clerk and Assessor. George Delong, Assessor. Joseph Merriman, Collector. In the same year, the following rule was made for the guidance of the gaolor : | He was commanded to go twice during the day to any part of the village, at the hours of to A, M. and 2 Pp. M., to carry any message sent by prisoners confined in the gaol. In case of sickness, he was to go at any time, day or night. The remuneration